This application is a 371 of PCT/EP99/07157 filed Sep. 27, 1999, published as WO 00/20365 on Apr. 13, 2000.
The present invention relates to the preparation of 4,4xe2x80x2-dihalogen-o-hydroxydiphenyl compounds of formula 
wherein
Hal is a halogen atom,
and to the use of these compounds for protecting organic materials and objects against microorganisms.
The preparation of 4,4xe2x80x2-dihalogen-o-hydroxydiphenyl compounds is normally carried out by diazotisation and subsequent hydrolysis of 2-amino-4,4xe2x80x2-dichlorodiphenyl ether (compound of formula (1)). 
However, the yield obtained by this method of preparation is unsatisfactory as different chemical reactions may take place concurrently.
Accordingly, this invention has for its object to provide an economic process for the preparation of 4,4xe2x80x2-dihalogen-o-hydroxydiphenyl compounds in which undesirable concurrent reactions are suppressed.
This object is achieved in accordance with this invention by a three-step reaction, where in the first step either a) an alkoxyphenol of formula (6) is halogenated (a1), the resulting halogenated phenol compound of formula (5) is reacted with a p-dihalobenzene of formula (4a) in the presence of copper and/or copper salts to the diphenyl ether compound of formula (2) (a2) and the desired diphenyl ether compound of formula (1) is then obtained by ether fission (a3), or b) an alkoxyphenol of formula (6) is reacted with the halobenzene of formula (4b) to the compound of formula (3) (b1), which compound is then halogenated (b2) and the resulting diphenyl ether compound of formula (2) is reacted by ether fission to the desired diphenyl ether compound of formula (1) (b3), in correspondence with the following reaction scheme: 
In the above scheme
R1 is C1-C5 alkyl;
R2 is hydrogen; chloro or bromo; and
Hal1, Hal2 and Hal3 are each independently of one another a halogen atom.
C1-C5Alkyl is branched or unbranched alkyl, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, 2-ethylbutyl, or n-pentyl.
In the above reaction scheme,
R1 is preferably C1-C4alkyl, more preferably methyl.
Hal1, Hal2 are preferably bromo and very particularly preferably chloro.
Hal3 is preferably chloro or bromo.
The halogenation of the alkoxyphenol of formula (6) to the phenol compound of formula (5) is preferably carried out using chlorine gas or sulfuryl chloride in the presence of an organic solvent, for example an aromatic, aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon, preferably with toluene or a xylene isomer mixture at a temperature in the range from xe2x88x9210 to 70xc2x0 C., preferably from 20 to 35xc2x0 C. The crude product of formula (5) so obtained is separated from the reaction mixture by neutralisation with sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate or by air being passed through the reaction mixture, the crude product of formula (5) then being collected by distillation under reduced pressure.
The reaction of the halogenated phenol compound of formula (5) with the dihalogen compound of formula (4a) (reaction (a2)) and the reaction of the phenol compound of formula (6) with the dihalogen compound of formula (4b) (reaction (b1)) is usually carried out at temperatures in the range from 120 to 200, preferably from 130 to 170xc2x0 C., it being possible for the phenol compound of formula (5) and for the dihalogen compound of formula (4a) or (4b) to be present in stoichiometric ratio and for the alkali hydroxide to be present in less than equivalent amount (20 to 80% of theory).
The copper catalysts used are preferably the copper salts conventionally used for the Ullmann synthesis, for example copper(II) oxide, copper(I) oxide, copper carbonate, basic copper carbonate, copper(I) chloride, copper(II) chloride, copper(I) bromide, copper(II) bromide or copper sulfate.
Further details on this reaction step are to be found in DE-OS-2,242,519.
The ether fission (reaction (a3/b3)) is usually effected by treatment with AlCl3 in an inert organic solvent, for example petroleum ether or benzene, or by heating with hydrobromic acid or mixtures of hydrobromic acid and acetic acid. The reaction time usually ranges from 0.5 to 10 hours and the temperature ranges from 40 to 110xc2x0 C.
The inventive reaction route a) (=a1/a2/a3) according to the following scheme is preferred: 
The 4,4xe2x80x2-dihalogen-o-hydroxydiphenyl compounds prepared according to this invention are insoluble in water, but are soluble in dilute sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide solution and in virtually all organic solvents. Thanks to these solubility preconditions, they have very versatile applicability for fighting microorganisms, in particular bacteria, and for protecting organic materials and objects against microorganisms. These compounds can, for example, be applied to the human skin and hands and to hard objects in dilute or undiluted form together with e.g. wetting agents or dispersants, for example as soap or syndet solutions, for disinfection and cleansing.